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Whew, what a ride it’s been since ChatGPT burst onto the scene! Since November 2022, the groundbreaking language model has truly taken the world by storm. And of course, being a team of marketers who thrive on instinct and intuition, we’ve been front and centre watching how this technology could potentially level up (or down) our marketing game.
But now, with the benefit of hindsight, we wanted to share what we’ve learned 18 months on from its release. Buckle up!
Can AI truly replace human marketers?
First, let’s address the elephant in the room: no, ChatGPT and its AI cousins aren’t going to replace human marketers anytime soon! While they can without doubt lend a helping hand with creating first drafts or even sparking content ideas, they just can’t capture the nuances of a brand’s unique tone of voice and overarching goals the way seasoned marketers can.
Using AI as a supportive tool
That being said, AI is here to stay – so we might as well take advantage of it to facilitate our marketing efforts, right? They’re not perfect, but AI tools have the potential to streamline and enhance certain aspects of our work. After all, why spend hours agonising over the perfect opening paragraph when an AI assistant can provide a solid starting point? The key lies in recognising its strengths and limitations and using it as a sidekick rather than a substitute for human expertise.
AI’s strengths and limitations
From our experience, AI can be really handy for high-volume content needs. But even then, we put in the work to tweak and tailor that content to perfectly fit our clients’ needs. Because at the end of the day, there’s simply no comparison to the deep, nuanced understanding an experienced marketing team has when it comes to truly grasping a company’s mission and crafting authentic strategies that resonate.
The bottom line
All in all, the past 18 months have only reinforced our belief that the most effective marketing solutions come from the sweet spot where human creativity meets technology-powered efficiency. Sure, AI can lighten the load and streamline processes, but it’s that strategic vision and deep understanding of a brand’s essence that truly sets great marketers apart.
While we’ll keep exploring and adapting to the ever-evolving AI landscape, one thing remains constant: our commitment to providing clients with strategic, instinct-driven marketing solutions that strike a chord with their audiences and drive real results. AI may be revolutionary, but it’s no replacement for the real deal (that’s us, by the way!).
So, what’s your take on AI’s role in marketing after 18 months of ChatGPT? We’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch and let’s discuss!
Be sure to keep up with the ie insights and all of our socials so you don’t miss out on any updates!
As you’ve probably heard, Instagram has been at it again, shaking up its algorithm and announcing all-new updates! But what do these changes actually mean for marketers? The short answer: probably not much, if you’re already executing a sound, authentic Instagram strategy.
Still, it’s important we understand these updates and what they could potentially mean for our strategies moving forward. So, let’s break down the key updates!
What are the new changes to Instagram?
First things first, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has announced four new changes to the platform and its ranking system:
- A new input to ranking that will give smaller creators more distribution
- Replacing reposts with original content in recommendations
- Adding labels to reposted content, linking to the original creator
- Removing content aggregators from recommendations
The main goal? Making Instagram’s never-ending recommendation feeds a much more balanced place by boosting original content from up-and-coming creators.
Why is Instagram making these changes?
For years now, creators have been calling out Instagram for favouring accounts with tons of followers in recommendations, making it nearly impossible for smaller accounts to be discovered organically.
Then there was the rise of meme pages and regram accounts that solely existed to repost other people’s viral content without giving any credit which, according to Instagram’s data, were being recommended and shown to viewers much more than original creators’ posts.
Adam Mosseri finally acknowledged this criticism, saying the platform wants to “give all creators an equal footing in terms of reach” with this ranking revamp, with a laser focus on rebalancing the Reels recommendation feed.
The latest Instagram updates: Breaking it all down
So what is changing, exactly? Here are the key points:
Boosting smaller creators
A new “input” is being added to Instagram’s ranking algorithm that will specifically give smaller creators way more distribution in places like the Reels recommendation feed. The idea is to help these accounts get in front of new audiences if their content resonates, rather than just having it come down to follower numbers.
Prioritising fresh content
Instagram says it will start replacing reposted/regrammed reels in recommendations with the original source video. So if you create something that gets reposted by another account, your original post would be the one that gets prioritised.
Labelling reposted content
For cases where reposted/regrammed reels do still appear, Instagram will add a new label linking back to the original creator. Account owners will apparently be able to opt-out of these citation labels initially, but who knows if that flexibility sticks around in the long run!
Removing content regram accounts
This is the big one: Instagram says it plans to eventually remove accounts that primarily exist just to reshare other creators’ content from recommendations entirely over time. So those meme pages and viral regram accounts may be in trouble in terms of reach.
What do these changes mean for marketers?
For brands and businesses using Instagram for marketing, these updates likely won’t require any major strategic overhauls. You’ll still want to focus on creating super engaging, original content that resonates with your audience.
But say you run an account that highlights user-generated content, or you collaborate with smaller influencers/creators on branded posts, then these updates could present some new opportunities. In theory, investing in those authentic creator feeds could get far more exposure through Instagram’s revamped ranking system.
It’s also just another reminder about the increasing importance social media platforms are placing on short-form video content. Prioritising Reels as part of your Instagram strategy will be key to showing up in those valuable recommendation feeds.
The bottom line
All in all, it looks like Instagram is clearly trying to evolve its recommendations from being an exposure machine for accounts with massive followings and reposted/regram content to a real launchpad that highlights more original, engaging videos and creators – regardless of follower count.
While the specific impacts are yet to be seen, it’s absolutely an important shift to keep tabs on as the Instagram algorithm continues to evolve.
As these updates roll out over the coming months, we’ll be keeping a close eye on what’s working (and what’s not!). But as always, the focus should remain on creating high-quality, audience-first content that captures attention and provides value.
And there you have it! What do you think – will you be giving these updates a ‘like’? And if you have any more questions about what these changes could mean for your business, you can reach out here or via our socials – we’re all ears!
We all know branding is one of the most important driving forces behind any business, right? It goes far beyond just whipping up a new logo or quickly refreshing your website; it’s the entire emotional experience you create through every interaction with your customers.
But is it really worth the investment, time and resources? If you’re on the fence about turning your attention to your branding, we’ve put together a few compelling reasons why nailing your brand identity is so crucial for long-term business success. Strap yourselves in – we’ve got a lot to cover!
First things first: What is branding?
Let’s start with the basics. At its core, branding is how you shape the perception of your company in the minds of customers and the public. While a logo and colour scheme are crucial brand elements, your brand encompasses much more than just visuals. It’s the intangible: your company’s personality, values, voice and the promises you make to your audience. In essence, branding is all about how people view your business – and how it makes them feel.
Think iconic brands like Apple, Nike and Disney. What instantly comes to mind? Each one has carefully chiselled an instantly recognisable brand identity through their marketing, product design and overall brand experiences they cultivate over time that resonate on a deeper level.
And these strong emotional connections are no happy accident – they’re the result of careful, strategic branding decisions over decades. Companies like Disney have raised branding to an art form, making their brand pillars of magic, family fun and imagination an integral part of their movies, parks, merchandise and more to become a household name. Now that’s the power of strong branding!
Why Branding is Make-or-Break for Businesses
Still not sold on the idea that branding deserves a prime seat at the strategy table? Consider these crucial ways it impacts your business:
It gives you a competitive edge
With so much noise out there, having a quality product or service alone is often not enough to truly captivate customers and earn their loyalty long-term. Your unique branding communicates what makes you special and memorable compared to others on the market. It’s your secret sauce that can’t be replicated, even if another company offers similar products or services on the surface. Without strategic branding, you risk blending in and being perceived as a commodity.
It builds trust and loyalty
These days, customers have more options to choose from than ever before, meaning they’re highly selective about the businesses they support. They’re more likely to purchase from brands they feel they can trust and view as credible, authoritative figures in their industry. Consistent, professional branding that’s reinforced across all your channels – your website, products, customer service interactions, social media profiles and more – builds that recognition as an established, reliable brand worthy of their business.
What’s more, when your brand personality, values and overall experience resonates authentically with your target audience, it creates a bond that can turn one-time buyers into passionate advocates for your brand. People want to feel loyal to companies whose purpose and philosophies align with their own values and lifestyle.
It future-proofs your business
From a financial perspective, there are clear incentives for prioritising branding. A cohesive brand lays a solid foundation that prepares your company for future growth through increased recognition, equity and credibility. It also gives you the flexibility to explore new products, services or brand extensions that make sense within your brand identity down the road.
Most importantly, your brand is one of your company’s most valuable assets that directly impact revenue. Cultivating a powerful brand enables you to maintain pricing power, add perceived value to your offerings and ultimately boost profits over time. Highly resonant brands can even command premium pricing for their products and services. Strategic branding is an investment that continues giving to your business.
Bringing your brand to life
Hopefully, we’ve convinced you by now that strategic branding needs to be a top business priority, not an afterthought! But how do you build and reinforce a cohesive brand identity that connects with your audience? Here are some key components:
Define your brand's core identity and strategic foundation
Before creating visuals, you need to get clear on your brand’s core identity through an in-depth consultation process. This involves defining your company’s core values, brand personality, tone of voice, unique value proposition, positioning in the market, target customer profiles and what they’re looking for in a brand. This crucial discovery phase lays the strategic groundwork for all your brand’s visuals and messaging.
Develop memorable and distinctive brand identity visuals
With your brand strategy solidified, it’s time to bring it to life visually through consistent assets like a unique logo design that captures your brand’s essence, a vibrant colour palette that evokes certain feelings and associations, a distinctive typography system, custom iconography or illustrations, defined photography styles and more. These cohesive visual elements are what will make your brand highly recognisable.
Create comprehensive brand guidelines
Once you’re set on your brand’s strategic foundations and visual identity, you’ll want to thoroughly translate them into detailed brand guidelines. This includes specific guidelines around your voice, tone, key messaging, content pillars and more which will not only help maintain brand consistency across all channels, but ensure your entire team stays aligned for years to come.
Nurture your brand through meaningful customer experiences
Ultimately, your brand needs to be embedded into every single interaction and experience customers have with your company. Whether it’s your website design and UX, product packaging, customer service approach, in-person events, social media content or advertising campaigns. Staying true to your brand at every touchpoint is crucial for memorability and creating meaningful connections.
Final word: Why you need to invest in branding
All in all, branding is so much more than just visual elements – it’s the embodiment of how you make customers think and feel about your company. When you thoughtfully nurture every component of your brand’s identity, the payoff is huge in differentiation, loyalty, added value and bottom-line impact.
Does your current branding feel outdated or like it fails to capture your business’ full essence and potential? Our team can help bring your company’s story to life through an insightful brand strategy and top-notch creative execution across all channels and customer touchpoints. Get in touch here to arrange a chat about your branding needs!
Be sure to keep up with the ie insights and all of our socials so you don’t miss out on any updates!
All aboard! We’re no strangers to hopping on exciting marketing projects but when 3 Counties Connected Community Rail Partnership (3CCCRP) approached us, we knew we were in for a fantastic journey.
The goal of the partnership is to get local communities more engaged with the Wrexham, Chester, Shrewsbury and Crewe railway lines, encouraging passengers to choose more sustainable travel options, so we dug in to create a brand and marketing strategy that would put 3CCCRP on the right track.
Building a bold brand identity
When 3CCCRP approached us, they needed a brand identity that would authentically represent the sustainability and connectivity of the network. Working closely with the team, we channelled our inner conductors and got to work, carrying out in-depth research into the themes central to their mission: travel, locations of the railway and the environment. We experimented with various shapes, patterns, and iconography inspired by local flora and fauna, eventually landing on a bold, earthy colour palette, nature-inspired illustration and fun typeface – a first-class ticket to visual bliss.
Creating a smooth-sailing website
We then set our sights on creating an engaging, user-friendly website that would allow the community to easily access the latest information in a clear and captivating manner. As a bilingual website serving both Welsh and English speakers, ensuring accessibility and clarity was key – we didn’t want any passengers getting lost along the way!
Bringing the brand to life
Finally, we helped bring the 3CCCRP brand to life by creating vibrant marketing collateral, helping the partnership gain awareness and credibility with Transport for Wales and the local community. From eye-catching posters to engaging social content, we ensured their message was loud and clear – like a well-tuned locomotive.
A few stops to go
From a strong visual identity and digital presence, we’re proud to have played a role in bringing 3CCCRP’s vision to life and helping them connect with their target audiences. Just like all railway lines, there’s always work being carried out meaning we’re still working with the 3CCCRP team on developing their Our Stations page, to include more bespoke illustrations and location information for their users.
Be sure to keep up with the ie insights and all of our socials so you don’t miss out on any updates!
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘marketing strategy’ time and time again, and we all know that every business needs one to reach their goals. But what if we asked you ‘what is a marketing strategy?’ – what does it actually mean?
With so much marketing lingo floating around out there, the specifics can definitely get a little confusing. That’s why we thought we’d break down what this common industry term boils down to – because knowing the ins and outs of an effective marketing strategy is crucial for any brand looking to make some serious waves in our increasingly competitive landscape.
So, let’s dive in!
What is a marketing strategy?
In essence, your marketing strategy is your brand’s overall game plan for how you’re going to reach, engage and win over your target audience. It’s more than just tactics and campaigns – it’s the overarching vision that guides all your marketing efforts.
The core components of your marketing strategy might include:
- Your value proposition – This is where you lay out that special sauce that makes your product or service irresistible. What can you offer that the competition can’t?
- Your target audience – Who exactly trying to win over? You’ll want to get pretty specific about the groups of people that make up your ideal customers.
- Your key messaging – How are you going to package up that value proposition in a clear, compelling way that resonates with those target audiences?
- Your channel strategy – What communication channels (social media, email, advertising etc.) will you use to share that messaging and get in front of the right people?
- Your analytics – Your marketing efforts go beyond hitting ‘post’. What are the metrics telling you? Establish how you’ll measure performance to continually level up.
All in all, the purpose of a marketing strategy is to give you complete clarity on what, how and why you’re going to promote your services to make you stand out and give you that so-called ‘competitive edge’.
Benefits of a marketing strategy
It’s a given that the business world is wildly competitive these days, so having a solid marketing strategy in your pocket is more important than ever. But what can it actually do for your business? Here are just some of the benefits:
It helps you stay aligned and intentional
No more ‘winging it’ or spreading your efforts too thin across different channels and tactics! A solid marketing strategy keeps all your marketing campaigns, messaging and initiatives working together like a well-oiled machine towards one cohesive goal.
Your branding stays on point
With clear branding and messaging guidelines woven throughout your strategy, you can ensure your one-of-a-kind brand identity, voice, visuals and vibe remain consistent and recognisable no matter where your audiences are interacting with you – whether on your website, through your socials or even in your office space.
It helps you stand out
When your branding and messaging stay consistent across all channels and touchpoints, it becomes easier for people to recognise you and remember your name – and ultimately gain their trust to make that first point of contact.
Marketing strategy vs. marketing plan
The terms ‘marketing strategy’ and ‘marketing plan’ are often used interchangeably, but in reality, they’re pretty different. That’s why we thought we’d also touch on the difference between the two – to really bring home the importance of a dedicated marketing strategy.
So, to understand the difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing plan, it’s first best to clarify what separates a ‘strategy’ and a ‘plan’ – and Harvard Business School make this distinction super easy.
Essentially, they say a strategy is a set of choices you make, that positions you on a playing field of your choice, in a way that you win. A plan, however, is simply a list of goals – it doesn’t need the same coherence as a strategy, nor a specified way of accomplishing those goals.
In other words, a strategy provides clear positioning and a unified theory for how the brand will deliver value, while a plan is a list of marketing tactics, channels and budgets to achieve the strategy – without the same overarching vision.
Marketing strategy vs. digital marketing strategy
As if confusing it with one term wasn’t enough, a ‘marketing strategy’ is also often confused with a ‘digital marketing strategy’ (and we totally get why!). But again, while a marketing strategy outlines the bigger picture for your brand’s overall game plan, a digital marketing strategy is your plan for using online channels to build awareness and reach your audience.
For example, if your chosen social media platforms are Facebook and Instagram, what are your goals for each? It’s important to remember that every platform has different uses, audiences and benefits, so tailoring to each of them falls part of your digital marketing strategy – and, of course, your overall marketing strategy.
Final word: How to create an effective marketing strategy
And there you have it: the full rundown on what a marketing strategy truly is and why it’s so crucial for promoting your business effectively. As we’ve seen, it goes way beyond just having a handful of tactics or campaigns up your sleeve – a comprehensive, research-backed strategy is what really allows you to be laser-focused and intentional about every effort rather than just winging it.
But if just reading through all those pesky strategy components has you feeling a little overwhelmed, don’t worry! Crafting a solid marketing strategy is no easy feat, especially when you’re already juggling a million other priorities for your business.
That’s where the savvy minds at ie instinct come in. Our team lives and breathes this strategy stuff, and we’re experts at helping brands like yours develop killer game plans tailored to your unique voice, audiences and goals.
So if you’d love some friendly backup from an experienced marketing strategy partner, be sure to drop us a line here or via our socials – we’re here to support you with all things marketing!
Calling all food lovers! We’ve been cooking something seriously yummy with an iconic British pub brand, and we can’t wait to give you a taste – in fact, we’re going to tuck in right now!
Who are Brunning & Price?
If you’re familiar with the UK’s pub scene, chances are you’ve sipped a pint or two at a Brunning & Price pub. From pouring their first brew in 1989 to boasting a mouth-watering 79 locations across the UK, these beloved pub restaurants have become key players in the hospitality game. Whilst the parents have changed to The Restaurant Group and more recently Apollo Global Management, the brand has stayed true to its founders’ Jerry Brunning & Graham Price core values of delivering high-class traditional pub experiences.
As the Brunning & Price family tree continues to grow, one key challenge has been staffing each pub with great people who embody the brand’s commitment to delivering quality food and drink whilst creating a cosy atmosphere – which is where ie instinct came in with the secret sauce!
Our recipe for success
After being approached by their Head of HR and Senior Recruitment Manager, we’re super proud to have partnered with Brunning & Price to promote and support their recruitment activity, offering a full menu of services from a robust digital strategy to hands-on graphic design, social media management, paid advertising and much more.
But what really spices up our partnership is how we immerse ourselves in Brunning & Price’s unique culture. We regularly work with them at their head office and within their pubs, allowing us to continue crafting messaging that captures the brand’s spirit, increases awareness through direct traffic and job board partnerships and resonates with prospective employees.
Relishing the future
And the best is yet to come! This summer, we’ll be launching a brand new careers website that serves as a central hub for all of Brunning & Price’s recruitment efforts. The website sitemap and design are looking piping hot and nearly ready to be served so be sure to keep an eye out and join us in raising a glass when it goes live! (Don’t worry, we’ll be the first to pull the cork!)
Be sure to keep up with the ie insights and all of our socials so you don’t miss out on any updates!
IE INSTINCT WINS DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALISTS OF THE YEAR
Yes, we are award winners!
What a first year we had, through the unprecedented times, brought by COVID-19, ie instinct has accomplished, not just surviving, but actively thriving in everything the pandemic has thrown at our new growing business. To now be recognised as an award winner, really is the icing on the cake!
The Corporate Livewire Prestige Awards recognise small and medium-sized businesses that have proven to be the best in their market over the past 12 months.
And, we truly have. Not only do we have a fantastic team and wonderful clients to show for it, but we’ve also got the trophy and certificate to go with it!
Corporate LiveWire Prestige Awards
All shortlisted companies put forward in the prestige awards are asked to support their nomination with evidence of their work, positive feedback from their clients, information on previous accreditation and recognition as well as highlighting the most outstanding parts of their businesses.
The judging panel base their decisions upon areas such as service excellence, quality of the product/ service provided, innovative practices, value, ethical or sustainable methods of working, as well as consistency in performance.
The winners selected are those who can best demonstrate their strengths in these areas.
Read our awards announcement from the Prestige Awards here.
“This award is a fantastic achievement and represents the dedication of the team to producing quality creative marketing content which inspires and challenges our clients and their customers”
Callie James
Managing Director
What's next?
This award represents the dedication involved at ie instinct. The team are enjoying being able to support our clients in new and exciting ways. In the last 6 months alone, we’ve unveiled several new client projects and brought more specialists into the team. It’s definitely an exciting time for ie instinct and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
If you’re looking for support with your marketing strategy and activity, get in touch, we are here to support you with all things marketing!
We are very excited to say that this month marks our 2nd Business Birthday.
From office expansions, new service offerings, to an ever-expanding team of marketing specialists, ie instinct has enjoyed making an impression over these 2 years within the marketing industry.
Let’s just say last year our 1st birthday slipped through the net, like most birthdays, the pandemic put plans on hold. That is why, this year, we are shouting loud and proud about ie instinct’s Business Birthday!
Over the last 2 years, ie instinct has worked with some leading businesses. From tourism and leisure, accountants, beauty salons, recruitment to charitable organisations, our client base spans a vast range of industries.
Birthday Celebrations & Thanks You's
Amongst the celebrations, we have to say BIG thank you’s to everyone who makes ie instinct what we are. To the team, you are all truly amazing at what you do, thank you for being a big part of ie instinct. To the clients, thanks for choosing us, every one of you brings and ask something different and we love it.
Of course friends and family, thanks for your support and, yes your patience too!
What's planned?
After an unprecedented year, we’re so proud of all the things the business has accomplished, not just surviving but actively thriving in everything the pandemic has thrown at a new growing business.
Recent events have proven that having a digital presence is now more important for brands than ever. ie instinct is enjoying being able to support our clients in new and exciting ways.
In the last 6 months alone, we’ve unveiled several new client projects, bringing more designers into the team, including graphic and video/motion designers. It’s definitely an exciting time for ie instinct and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
If you’re looking for support with your marketing strategy and activity, get in touch, we are here to support you with all things marketing!
Panto’s coming back, bigger and better than before, oh yes, it is!
ie instinct has been casted for the graphic design of this year’s Aladdin pantomime with Venue Cymru & Imagine Theatres.
In January 2020, Venue Cymru advertised to work with a local designer for this year’s collaboration between themselves and Imagine Theatre Company. Soon as we spotted it, we knew it was something we wanted to be part of. Off went our application along with a full design concept and title treatment. It was time to sit back and wait and see if the magic carpet would come our way!
Let's tell you the tale of our work
After a few weeks, Richard Jones, Marketing Manager for Venue Cymru called with the exciting news that following a large amount of submissions, it was a unanimous decision to choose us as this years Graphic Designer.
The promotional material has so far included, social media banners, social media graphics, an array of posters, pull up banners, school direct mail, brochure and there’s lots more to come.
"We are enjoying working with all the team, it’s a project that means so much, both personally and for the business. Being able to create designs that bring a smile to people’s faces and give them a sprinkle of the magic that is soon to come to stage is something very rewarding."
Callie James
Director of ie instinct
Venue Cymru & Imagine Theatre
Venue Cymru is a large arts venue in Llandudno, incorporating a 1,500 seat theatre, restaurant, conference centre and arena. Imagine Theatre is one of the UK’s leading Pantomime Producers.
Venue Cymru was transformed into a rainbow hospital known as Ysbyty Enfys in response to the pandemic. Now the stage is ready for a hilarious family friendly pantomime to make everyone’s wishes come true this festive season.
Panto favourite John Evans [Wishee Washee] is gearing up to return to the Venue Cymru stage for his 11th time. He will star alongside actor James Lusted [High Councillor] from Rhos-on-Sea; musical theatre performer Jade Davies [Princess Jasmine] and Eric Potts, who will be directing and appearing in the production as Widow Twankey. Jason March-Williams is starring as Abanazar and Danny Hendrix will play the title role, Aladdin.
The show will run from Saturday 12th December 2021 – 3rd January 2022.
Grab your tickets before they fly out of the door!
Be sure to keep up with the ie insights and all of our socials so you don’t miss out on any updates!
